Sarasvati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, and art. She is often depicted holding the tools of all of her powers; holding a pen, holding a book, and playing the sitar. She also holds a mala (prayer beads).
Her colors are white and yellow. Her creature is the swan. Often she rides a white swan, or is seated on a white lotus next to a white swan.
In India, schoolchildren worship her to help with their studies and teachers to help with imparting knowledge. Her birthday, Vasant Panchami, is a school holiday (it falls next on January 31, 2009).
She is part of the triplicity of great goddesses (Tridevi) that consists of Sarasvati-Lakshmi-Kali. These goddesses are paired with the triplicity of gods: Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva. In general, Hindu myth will marry these six in neat pairs, but there is a story that Sarasvati and Lakshmi (goddess of abundance) are both wives of Vishnu. As co-wives, they bicker and compete, and this is why you can have either a life of abundance and plenty, or a life of art and creativity, but not both.
